11/12/2025
𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗮 𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗨.
Starting 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, EU users will get a new choice:
👉 Allow full data sharing (for highly personalised ads)
👉 Or share less data (resulting in “less personalised” ads)
This comes after Meta was hit with a €𝟮𝟬𝟬𝗠 fine for its earlier “consent-or-pay” model.
Now, the DMA requires platforms to offer real user choice, and this move is the result.
So… what does this mean for agencies?
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 (𝗘𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀)
A meaningful portion of EU users will likely opt for less data sharing, making precise behavioural, interest-based, and demographic targeting less effective.
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗼 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲
→ 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼-𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
Identify which campaigns rely heavily on behavioural, interest-based, or demographic precision. These will be the first to feel the impact.
→ 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁-𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀
Encourage clients to grow:
* Email lists
* CRM databases
* Website tracking infrastructure
* Loyalty programs
The less you rely on platform data, the safer you are.
→ 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝘅
Don’t let Meta ads be the only engine.
Strengthen search, influencer, content, newsletters, and even offline channels.
→ 𝗪𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
As targeting narrows, storytelling, brand value, and great creative will drive performance.
The “best ad” beats the “best audience data.”
→ 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
Performance may shift, and that’s okay. Guide clients toward broader KPIs like:
* Brand lift
* Engagement
* Awareness
* Long-term ROI
Not just micro-conversions from hyper-targeted ads.
→ 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀
This update is EU-only for now.
Markets like India may not see changes yet, but this could signal a global trend. Stay alert.
𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲
The agency landscape is shifting.
We’re moving from data-heavy optimisation to brand-driven marketing, where authority, content, and storytelling matter more than ever.
𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲?
👇 Would love to hear how your team is planning for this change.